Smith '08: Peter DeFazio is out.
Peter DeFazio told The Hill that he won't run for the US Senate:
With the Democrats in the majority, DeFazio will assume the chairmanship of the Highways, Transit and Pipelines Subcommittee of the House Transportation Committee. And he makes no secret of his loathing for the kind of fundraising required for a Senate run.“I had my run at the Senate,” DeFazio said. “I’m holding a gavel for the first time in my 20-year career. I’m not looking to do anything else — become the junior senator from Oregon with no seniority and not chairing a committee.”
DeFazio lost narrowly to now-Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) in a special-election primary in 1995 and has twice declined to run against Smith. He said Smith has benefited from “very weak opponents” in each of his campaigns and is still vulnerable.
Who else might run?
Democratic two-term former Gov. John Kitzhaber and state schools Superintendent Susan Castillo have reportedly pulled their names from consideration. Others mentioned include State Treasurer Randall Edwards, Clatsop County District Attorney Josh Marquis and state Sen. Ben Westlund. Independent John Frohnmayer, a former chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts under the first President Bush, has also hinted at a run.Blumenauer shrugs off questions about a potential 2008 Senate bid but said there is plenty of time for potential challengers to decide. According to Federal Election Commission filings, Blumenauer has $373,000 cash-on-hand, while Smith has over $2 million.
Read the rest. Discuss.
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Jan. 04, 2007
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connect with blueoregon
1:23 p.m.
Jan 4, '07
Based on the deluge of comments, I guess we all expected this, eh? I did, and I don't know that it's the wrong decision, but I sure wouldn't mind casting a vote for DeFazio once in my life.
Jan 4, '07
I renew my call for the re-nomination of Sec.of State Bill Bradbury for the Democratic Candidate for the US Senate for the Great State of Oregon.
Having Bill Bradbury at the podium this time around will shrivel up any new rationals Smith might make for the past years of lock step Neo-Con politics!!
Happy Thoughts;
Dan Grady
1:56 p.m.
Jan 4, '07
Secretary Bradbury is too ill to go through the rigors of a Senate campaign that (knowing Smith) is likely to be very nasty.
Someone like Randall Edwards, who is smart, has won statewide races before and is not a polarizing figure would be a great challenger for Smith now that DeFazio (my favorite potential candidate) is out. He needs to loosen up his image a bit, but other than that, there really aren't any huge negatives (that i know of) that would hinder an Edwards Senate run.
Jan 4, '07
I still say that it'll be Kitz.
He has no need to declare before this summer, or at the latest, early next fall. And I also think this is common knowledge among the Dems, as everyone knows that if he declares, he beats Smith hands down. For evidence, I offer not just my conversation with Kitz on this very topic late last year, but also the dearth of Dems openly declaring for this race-- it speaks volumes about how everyone suspects that there's a big fish in the pond and no small fish want to jump in.
I know all the talk about his son, wanting to live in Oregon to raise him, and his "no" to Nick Fish in December on this question, but does anyone really think he would have said anything hinting at a run in that setting? It would have given Smith a 6-month head's up on how much money he needs to raise.
2:21 p.m.
Jan 4, '07
Secretary Bradbury is too ill to go through the rigors of a Senate campaign
That is categorically not true. I've spent quite a bit of time with Bill in recent weeks, and he's just fine. He's not as mobile as he once was - but he is otherwise just fine. He's just as sharp as he's always been. He's serving effectively as Secretary of State, has an aggressive policy agenda, and I've personally seen him at more political events in the last two months than any other politician in this state.
2:23 p.m.
Jan 4, '07
p.s. Colin -- if you've got information otherwise, you owe it to folks to pony up your sources.
2:25 p.m.
Jan 4, '07
John Kitzhaber hates raising money. Because of contribution limits, raising money for a Federal race takes much more time than for a State race. For that reason alone, I would be absolutely shocked if he were to run for the Senate. Bradbury is much more likely to run than Kitzhaber.
Jan 4, '07
Senate campaigns require excellent organization and a lot of fundraising.
My guess is that if Randall Edwards and his wife (very bright and politically experienced woman) want to go through a Senate campaign he'd be an excellent candidate.
Jan 4, '07
No Defazio...No Gardner...No Kitzhaber?
Isn't there a Democrat with the guts to show this man for who he really is?
Would someone step up to this guy and punch him in face until he falls down?
Jan 4, '07
Actually, it's Randall's strength (his wife) that is his greatest liability. She's a republican and was tainted in helping use a shell non profit to support one of the "save our schools" campaigns. Besides, NIKE doesn't play to well on our side of the aisle.
Jan 4, '07
Randall's wife, Julia Brim-Edwards, would be a huge asset for Randall in the general election. She is a smart political operative with strong ties into the remaining moderate parts of the Republican party. Randall's problem is more whether his low-key, non-ideological approach can rally any enthusiasm within the Democratic party. I suspect there are a bunch of people that would give him trouble in a primary. The question is whether any of them want to run.
Jan 4, '07
Gee, I don't understand why Darlene Hooley doesn't get a mention here. I think she would a very viable candidate to take on Smith. She has shown she can draw support from Republicans and Independents in her district. She could probably win a big majority of the vote from the metro area on down the Valley to Eugene. Why worry so much about Smith's warchest? Look how much Saxton spent and what it got him. Go Darlene!
Jan 4, '07
ok, jb, if Darlene ran for Senate, who would you suggest to run for the 5th District Cong. seat? A legislator would be good as we've had legislators from this cong. district go to Congress.
Jan 4, '07
I personally would love to see Darlene run. It might be impolitic to say, but is she too old?
I don't see Kitzhaber running and I have my doubts about Blumenauer too.
Nobody's talked about him yet, but I like Wayne Westling. He seems to have broad appeal and decent name recognition, and as far as I can tell he's actually running. (Why else would he register as a Democrat except to be ready for this race?)
He seems like someone that could generate some excitement among independents and perhaps pull republican votes too (especially if --god forbid --Bush keeps this deranged war going on through the next election). And no question he worked his tail off to defeat 41 and 48.
So people, why not Wayne?
John
8:43 p.m.
Jan 4, '07
With Dems now in control of Congress, it won't be too likely that you will see one of our U.S. Reps run for Smith's seat. Doing so will mean they'd lose all their seniority, chance to chair committees, etc.
8:55 p.m.
Jan 4, '07
if Darlene ran for Senate, who would you suggest to run for the 5th District Cong. seat?
Off the top of my head and in no particular order... Dave Hunt, Paul Evans, Brian Clem, Sara Gelser, Peter Courtney, Martha Schrader, Kurt Schrader, Greg Macpherson, Lynn Peterson...
I'm sure there are others, but I don't have the exact boundaries of congressional and legislative districts committed to memory.
Jan 4, '07
Darlene is not too old, but I'd hate to see her leave the House now that it seems she has a lock on her majority R district.
If Bradbury's health is up to it, I think he'd make a fine candidate, even if I am plaintiff in a suit against his office.
1:04 a.m.
Jan 5, '07
"Wayne Westling. He seems to have broad appeal and decent name recognition,"
LOL--not enough, apparently, for people to remember his name is Ben Westlund. :)
Jan 5, '07
Cr#p! I'm an idiot.
I had a brain fart and my dusty synapses inserted the name of one of my old law profs @ U of O. (Now deceased, sadly.)
If my post had any credibility it's certainly shot all to hell now.
John
Jan 5, '07
I'm quite happy for the Democrats that DeFazio isn't running. Because if he did, I would be voting For Smith. I feel that strongly about DeFazio's protectionist demagoguery.
As for Kitzhaber, what makes him such a great candidate is also what will make him decide not to run.
My choice is either Ben Westlund or Earl Blumenauer.
9:15 a.m.
Jan 5, '07
...but I don't have the exact boundaries of congressional and legislative districts committed to memory.
This shatters my confidence in you, Kari.
Jan 5, '07
Westlund seems like a good choice to me. Moderate Republican turned moderate Democrat, and he's fairly well-known around the state because of his (aborted) independent run for Governor.
I like Bradbury too ... he's experienced, and has proved his ability to win a state-wide race a couple of times. He lost to Smith in 2002, but he was crippled by a late entry into the race.
My hope is that whatever Democrats enter the primary, they all agree to run positive campaigns against one another in the primary (all of my opponents are good people and any one of them would make be good Senator, but I'm the best choice to beat Gorden Smith in November because __) and unite in attacking Smith as the right-wing party hack he really is.
Jan 5, '07
djk is right.
Jan 5, '07
Not living in Walden's district, I don't recall exactly how it went down, but I really liked the style of primary campaign waged by the prospective nominees...
I seem to recall that they often campaigned together and kept the focus on defeating Walden -- not each other.
That should be the model for all Democratic primaries for a targetted race.
Jan 5, '07
When did fighting for workers' rights become "protectionist demagoguery"? DeFazio has been a principled and articulate voice for fair trade. I hope whoever ends up running against Smith has that same passion about standing up for working people.